Non-government organizations have been urged to support the children of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to prevent them from facing psychological problems in the future.
In a commentary published by the Manila Bulletin, columnist Bernardo Villegas said the remittances from overseas workers were helping the Philippine economy grow, but the children of these people were being left with psychological problems caused by the absence of their parents, particularly their fathers, who are occupied by their work and own self-fulfillment.
Villegas said many children from OFW families were not given the love and guidance they needed, which would affect their futures. He also said children who had migrated to their parents’ host countries had experienced difficulties adapting to the new environment.
In order to help children affected by their parents’ absence, Villegas called on the government and society to come up with ways to guide them. One possible answer is the Resilience Program (REPRO) of the Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM).
The REPRO helps rescued street children discover, identify and utilize traits that will empower them to overcome difficulties. Villegas proposed that this program could be extended to children from OFW families to help them build resilience and to compensate for the lack of guidance from their parents.